eSJayDee

I have a SUBSTANTIAL preference for brunettes relative to blondes. However, in this case, you've gotta take a gorgeous blonde over a somewhat scary looking brunette.

No, I won't. Although I initially took no position as to belief or disbelief in you having inside sources. It has become increasingly evident that those sources, even if they do exist, are not very accurate. As such, let me add ... Even the blind squirrel occasionally finds the nut. And A broken clock is right twice a day.

The ideal handling of the cap is to be close to it, but not put yourself 'in trouble'. Bear in mind, you need to spend $ to get quality players. (At least in theory - and let's it also requires the leap of faith that we were trying to field as competitive of a team as possible ) We are UNDER the cap AND in a managable situation. Sure, we're not in as good of shape as some teams (w/o looking at # & each team's FA situation I can't sight specific teams better off, but I'll guess SF.), but considering that we all felt that we should have been a playoff caliber team last year, I think our situation is/was in pretty good shape.

I'd be hesitant to use "can't miss" even w/ the qualifier of barring injury. I'm not disputing your claims that he indeed has the potential to be phenomenal, just that there's no such thing as "can't miss". We had this lineman named Mike Williams...

I could be wrong about this, but isn't Levy Jewish?

I an only imagine that this means when intend to be active in free agency. Clearly, MW has as much potential as any other OL man. Since we apparently have the cap room, it would have only made since to keep around until that $3m bonus was due (IIRC, July 1st), to see if he was going to shape up (figuratively & perhaps even literally) unless we figure we need the room to pursue other FAs. Could be an exciting off-season.

Let me clarify my point of view w/ some #s. Using Champ Baileys contract as a basis (let's momentarily ignore whether or not NC is worth that sort of $). I saw #s indicating CB's contract was 7 yrs, $63m, $18 SB. W/o the SB his contract avgs $6.43m/yr. One can assume that the later yrs are for higher salary, so apart from the SB, he'll be playing for perhaps $5m/yr. NC will be making more than that but will have to wait for that SB. Looked at another way, assume CB never sees the last 2 yrs of his contract which let's assume pay him $10m/yr (which might even be conservative). So he's playing for $8.6m/yr avg. Again, NC won't be making that much, but it's not like he's obscenely off. Basically all he would have a right to be bummed/upset about is that he's not getting that nice bonus check upfront having to perhaps wait a year for it (or make an even better salary the following year).

What having the franchise tag slapped on does is eliminate the huge signing bonus he was hoping for. The $5.89m is not THAT low relative to what his contract would have likely paid him on avg. (Remember, later years often have inflated #s that the player likely won't see.) It merely delays him going into free agency, which might almost be perceived as a good thing by him & his agent, as he could potentially improve his market value. (He didn't do too well last year.) Also, take into consideration that if he plays under the tag this year, to tag him next year will result in at least a 20% raise. Although we all seem to be pleased that we're getting the svcs of a top notch CB for the 'bargain' price of $5.89m this year, $7.1m I don't think is such a bargain AND there's no assurances that the tag price won't go up substantially above that.

It was my understanding that he offered to resign but wanted to stay presumably thereby eliminating any obligation that Ralph would have for paying the remainder of the contract. I think that Ralph announced that he accepted his (TD) resignation.

Okay, what was the point of that? Cuz I can't figure it out, even after watching it 4 times! (Maybe a few more times will do it.)

I tend to think it's good to have that back loaded contract for a couple of reasons (relative to more 'fair' values) from the player's perspective. 1) You don't know how much salaries are going to escalate, so the last thing you want to be is locked in at under market values. and 2) When it comes time that your contract/pay levels become prohibitive (i.e. your salary is for more than you're worth), it forms a starting point and gives you leverage in the renegotiation.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0129359 That movie doesn't exist, does it??

Good one.

IIRC, he took over toward the end of the season for the (very) substandard Arians. Again, IIRC, he was adequate in his limited appearances. Why he wasn't asked to training camp or even mini-camps the following season is what is perplexing and disturbing. If he had gotten beat out in preseason that's one thing, but we had what turned out to be a top notch kicker on our roster only to throw him away. (But kickers are a dime a dozen, so I guess it's really no big deal, huh TD? )

Wasn't he our QB coach years ago? I'm assuming in the post-Kelly era, probably RJ/DF time frame.

Bear in mind, that w/ the Exclusive Rights FA, we only have the ability to 'lock' them in for 1 year, after which they become Unrestricted, so he DOES have some bargaining power in that he can choose to sign only for 1 year. WRT how much he's worth, AFAIC he hasn't proven anything yet so I would think it imprudent to give him a large SB. I wouldn't give him more than $3m up front tops, and preferably around $2m. Let his salaries escalate so that if he is good, we pay him decent coin. I'd go for something like 4 yrs, $2m SB, w/ salaries of maybe $500k, $2m, $4m, $5m. I guess that works out to $13.5m, but the big factor is how it's structured.

IIRC, during training camp either this year or most likely last, he "visited" and worked w/ the kickers & punters some.

I could be mistaken, but didn't that also happen to the hot blonde that got shot (forgot her name) b4 she saw/heard something odd as I recall her telling Sayid about?

Tuna on rye. Toasted. Lettuce. Light on the mayo. Do I need to put some sort of emoticon to show I'm being facetious?

At least in the past, this was not the case & teams actually typically lost money going to the playoffs (& SB). They have the same expenses as a regular season game, presumably only having ticket gate revenue, etc. to offset it (i.e. no extra tv revenue share). TV is where all the owners make the bulk of their $.

Sorry, I couldn't get over the inaccuracy of the 1st statement about the 40th ANNIVERSARY of the SB. Was there a SB one year b4 SB I that I missed? I realize that Roman numerals aren't well suited for arithmatic functions, but best I can figure XL - I = XXXIX.

I think w/ him being hired as Asst O-line, that implies that McNally is being retained. You don't typically hire assts b4 the person they'll be helping.

I think that would be imprudent. There's a reason these guys work 100 hour work weeks. Even a margin advantage must be sought (like not announcing your starting QB or how hurt a rookie's wrist is ). Having an extra brain/hand to delegate to is advantageous. As for just a 'figure head' DC, have you ever trained someone? In most instances, it takes more effort & time than doing it yourself.

Because it was a negotiation & usually in a negotiation you can't always get what you want. (but if you try sometime... ) Suppose it went something like this: Snyder : We really like you Gregggg & think you're doing a swell job & would like to keep you here for the forseeable future. Greggggg: Thanks, Danny boy, but I'd really like to be a HC somewhere. What are you proposing? Snyder : How 'bout we extend your contract a few years & I'll give you $100k extra a year & a lovely shrubbery? Gregggg: Nope, not interested. How 'bout $10m/yr to remain here as an Asst HC? Snyder : What, do you think I'm made out of money? How bout a 1 or 2 Mill raise/yr & if we don't let you succeed Gibbs, we'll give you an extra $2m? Greggggg: Okay, sounds fair.

I don't think that's at all atypical. Every year, several coaches get promoted and more 'come out of no where'. To make room for these coaches, either someone else needs to be removed from the coaching pool (retire/not hired) or be demoted. Every year a sizable %age of coaches get displaced. Some x % (I'd guess < 50%) find equivalent employment elsewhere. Some get completely displaced (looks like Bates & Sherman might fall into this category). The rest accept demotions. Happens all the time. Look around the league at the # of ex-HC as Coordinators &/or ex-Coords as positional coaches.